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Tables of Contents for How Social Security Picks Your Pocket
Chapter/Section Title
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AUTHOR'S PREFACE
1
2
CHAPTER I: A TALE OF TWO BIDDIES (AN INTRODUCTION)
3
4
Risky behavior
3
1
Millions of Americans lose out
4
3
CHAPTER II: PARTY TIME ON THE TITANIC (ARE WE ABOUT TO STRIKE AN ICEBERG?)
7
16
Ms. Fuller
7
1
Carlo "Charles" Ponzi
7
1
We need more babies
8
1
Are old folks the problem?
8
1
Worse than the Titanic
9
1
Demographically doomed?
10
1
Do we still drive cars made in 1935?
10
1
NINE SPECIFIC DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS
10
7
The Wheel of Waste
15
2
ONE UNDERLYING PROBLEM
17
6
Are the Yankees for sale?
18
1
The mythical trust
18
1
A structural problem: Congress controls the show
19
1
What was the alternative?
19
1
Social Security - a vital and noble program
20
1
Mr. Senator, you're under arrest!
20
3
CHAPTER III: THE SOCIAL SECURITY SHUFFLE (HOW BENEFITS ARE MOVED FROM ONE BENEFICIARY TO ANOTHER)
23
22
A monumental fraud
23
1
An "average" worker doesn't get an "average" benefit
23
1
Who pays for the transfers?
24
1
Half truths, right from the start
25
1
Hell to pay
26
1
Rationalizations
26
1
What has happened in the last 65 years?
27
1
The Social Security Wealth Transfer Machine
27
1
FOUR TRANSFER MECHANISMS
27
8
1. Transfers made via a 3-rate benefit formula
28
2
Mr. Madonna
29
1
2. Transfers based on marital work sharing (i.e., spousal and survivor benefits)
30
2
Should some get more, for staying at home?
30
1
Punishing women who work
31
1
3. Transfers made via delay of benefits
32
1
Money-back guarantee
32
1
Flowers for your casket
32
1
4. Transfers made by ignoring wages after 35 years
33
2
How much is transferred?
34
1
What portion of the transfers constitutes waste?
34
1
HOW WERE THESE ESTIMATES MADE?
35
88
An unexpected finding
36
1
The key: assess wealth of families instead of individuals
37
1
Retirees with other types of income
37
1
A problem of gross proportions
38
1
The impact of other sources of retirement income
39
1
Those deemed to be poorest are the wealthiest!
40
1
A reality check
41
1
An award
42
1
What we must do
43
2
CHAPTER IV: RETIREMENT APARTHEID ("IT'S OUR WORST NIGHTMARE")
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12
Playing it both ways
45
1
Retirement apartheid in America
46
1
Hypocrisy 24/7
47
1
Important differences
48
1
They're "not paying their share"
49
1
Please don't misunderstand
49
1
5 million white settlers
49
1
Social Security transfers are unique
50
3
Can we have "individual equity" and help the poor?
53
1
Financial Impact on Social Security
53
2
Forked-tongue scoundrels
55
1
What we must do
56
1
CHAPTER V: THE WORLD'S HIGHEST PAID JANITORS (HOW TO MAKE $100,000 PER DAY)
57
18
Trading rulers for mops
57
1
A loophole for "jani-teachers"
58
1
The staggering costs
59
1
Teamwork
59
3
What's next?
62
1
They ought to be sued
62
1
The color of money
63
1
Did the CAO and the SSA connect the dots?
63
1
The importance of remuneration
64
1
Civil or criminal?
65
1
These people were married - or were they?
65
1
The Lutwak v. United States case, redux
66
1
Texas teachers strike out, even on a technical basis
66
1
What "employment" isn't
67
1
The section 418 agreement of the Coleman ISD
68
1
The Coleman jani-teachers have a problem
69
1
Were Coleman jani-teachers entitled to any Social Security?
69
1
Coleman's not the only one with a problem
70
1
Another technical glitch
71
1
What is the SSA doing about this?
71
2
Finally, let's stop calling this an "exemption"
73
1
A Texas school district stands tall
73
1
The bottom line
74
1
CHAPTER VI: TWO HIDDEN TAXES IMPOSED ON RETIREES (MILLIONS OF AMERICANS PAY IT, AND DON'T EVEN KNOW IT)
75
6
It depends on what the meaning of "tax" is
75
1
A person with just $7,000 of income could be in the top 1.2%?
76
1
A "ticking time bomb"
76
1
Income taxed twice - and not at all
77
1
The other sneaky and mean tax
78
1
"Mean" testing
78
1
And now, the amazing 115% tax rate!
79
1
What we must do
80
1
CHAPTER VII: FROM CRAZY CHECKS TO LAZY CHECKS (HEALTHY PEOPLE FLOOD THE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY PROGRAMS)
81
18
The Supremes create Crazy Checks
81
1
A little background
82
1
Now, back to Crazy Checks
82
1
It takes a village (to top this family)
83
1
New challenges
84
2
The legal standards
86
2
You too can qualify!
88
1
At the doctor's office
89
1
Designer diseases
90
1
The perfect disability gives rise to Lazy Checks
90
1
SSA -- the tough guys?
91
2
A few disclaimers
93
1
Flunking Claims Management 101
93
1
The peeved Wendy's worker
94
1
Crocodile Dundee at home - disabled at work
95
1
Chaos within the SSA
95
1
The truly disabled get lousy service
96
1
A fish rots from the head down
97
1
Summing it up
98
1
What we must do
98
1
CHAPTER VIII: DISABILITY - THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A LIFETIME (ONCE DISABLED, ALWAYS DISABLED)
99
10
Only one in five hundred returns to work
99
1
SGA: The Silly Government Approach
100
1
Disability pays more than work?
101
1
Disability benefits for kiddies?
102
1
No treatment, no rehab: just take the money
102
2
We're not making progress!
104
1
The Ticket to Shirk
105
1
The $1 for $2 offset proposal
105
1
In summary
106
1
What we must do
106
3
CHAPTER IX: THE CASE OF THE SOLICITOUS SPOUSE (ARE PEOPLE REALLY GETTING SICKER?)
109
14
The dream of every man and woman
109
1
Illness and economic incentives
110
1
More evidence of an economic impact on disability rates
110
1
SSA disability trends don't reflect real health trends
111
1
Is this a graph of disability rates or the Himalayan Mountains?
112
1
What are the real disability rates?
113
1
Living longer does not mean living sicker
114
1
Just use your head!
115
1
Care for a cigarette?
116
1
More evidence
116
1
Another problem: the disabled are getting younger
117
1
Two conflicting trends. Why?
117
2
125 percent more mental illness in just 4 years?
119
1
How it's covered up
120
1
Don't be confused between people and dollars
120
1
The fiscal implications
120
1
What we must do
121
2
CHAPTER X: TALES FROM THE CRYPT (SCAMS OF THE DEAD, DYING, AND LYING)
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24
Mummy Dearest
123
1
A peculiar problem
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1
"20 years of Inattention"
124
1
Payments based on "allegations"?
125
1
"Only a few months of concealed work activity"
126
1
By all means, let's NOT help law enforcement!
127
1
The "universe of fraud"
127
2
Estimation efforts in the United Kingdom
129
1
The SSA could make an Enron auditor blush
130
1
Decisional accuracy
131
1
MAJOR CATEGORIES OF FRAUD
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15
1. Collecting for those who don't exist
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1
101-year-old dad is in "top secret" experimental facility
132
1
Why cleaning your house doesn't pay
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1
2. Stealing or fabricating identities
133
2
The Three Stooges Crook
135
1
3. Collecting SSI while in prison or on the lam
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2
And now, a word on behalf of our fine fugitives and prisoners
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1
SSI welfare checks lead to accused rapist
136
1
4. Collecting SSI while out of the country
137
1
SSA staff comments about residency fraud
137
1
5. Faking ailments and collaborator fraud
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2
They weren't retarded, but they sure were stupid!
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1
6. Faking finances
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2
Strange love triangle wrecks man's disability scheme
141
1
"If those SSA people could see me now!"
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1
The SSA shares the blame
142
1
How much does it cost us?
142
1
A word about collection rates
143
1
What we must do
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3
CHAPTER XI: SECRET MONEY, SECRET RELATIONSHIPS (TWO TRENDS THAT ARE WREAKING HAVOC ON OUR BENEFIT PROGRAMS)
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14
Fall of a Princess
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1
The problem no one talks about
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1
PART ONE - SECRET RELATIONSHIPS
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5
Marriage according to the SSA
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1
The Social Security implications of being "married"
149
1
Hidden marriages
150
1
Hidden parents
151
1
Help Wanted: peeping Tom
152
1
Is the SSA on top of this matter?
153
1
PART TWO - SECRET MONEY
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6
How often do you see $100 bills at the grocery store?
153
1
"Underground economy" defined
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1
The underground economy and lost net revenues
154
1
How much net revenue is lost?
155
1
The underground and overpayment of disability and SSI welfare
155
2
It's not just the poor
157
1
The future - a high-tech underground?
157
1
Can we reduce the underground economy?
158
1
Summing it up
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1
What we must do
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2
CHAPTER XII: PERSONAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
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(WILL THEY SAVE US?)
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3
A corrupt boarding school
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1
Political Payola
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1
PRA basics
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1
Scaring Seniors is Sooo Much Fun
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1
Wisdom from Shecky Green
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1
EIGHT CRITICISMS FROM PRA OPPONENTS
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8
1. PRAS are too risky in relation to the investment reward.
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1
But, is a risk-free portfolio a good thing?
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1
2. PRAs won't help national productivity and savings.
165
1
3. Administration costs would be too high?
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1
4. What about the transition costs?
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1
5. Social Security provides good monthly survivor benefits.
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2
We need the right to inheritance - not survivor benefits
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1
6. The insolvency problem is no big deal; there is no need for change.
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7. Social Security is "progressive," whereas PRAS are not.
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1
A truly progressive system
170
1
8. PRAs will drain resources from Social Security.
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1
Eight criticisms - all are leaking water
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1
THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SECURITY
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9
Commission Proposal 1
172
3
Would I support Proposal 1?
173
2
Commission Proposal 2
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2
Commission Proposal 3
177
4
What's going on with regard to Proposals 2 and 3?
178
1
They gave with one hand, and took back with the other
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1
The bottom line
179
2
CHAPTER XIII: EAT YOUR HEART OUT (A SAFE ALTERNATIVE PLAN THAT REALLY WORKS)
181
12
"A blessing from God"
181
1
It's not the only alternative
182
1
THE OHIO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (OHIO PERS) VS. SOCIAL SECURITY
182
11
If it were a fight, they'd call it off
183
1
What about married people?
184
1
What do we do about that "low-income" couple?
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1
Disability and Survivor benefits
186
2
Other Ohio PERS plan design features
188
3
The Ohio PERS success story
191
1
What a shame!
191
1
Conclusion
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1
CHAPTER XIV: I HAVE A DREAM (AMENDMENT XXVIII TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION)
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16
Wake up! Wake up!
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1
That's my dream; here is how it would work
194
1
Why would the Dream Trust be better than today's Social Security?
195
2
Could the Dream Trust become a reality?
197
1
Offer a choice
197
1
Why limit the trustees with regard to investment decisions?
198
1
But the trustees should have a role
199
1
What about the insolvency problem?
199
1
Alternatives to a tax hike
200
1
There would be critics
201
1
Plan B
201
2
Recommendations for the Disability Programs
203
1
Plan B for disability
204
1
Fraud
205
1
Parting thoughts
206
3
APPENDIX A: EXPLANATIONS AND CALCULATIONS
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26
A-1 Calculation of Jill's Ohio PERS benefits vs. Mary's Social Security benefits
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2
A-2 The Social Security shortfall: explanation
211
2
A-3 Calculating one universal replacement rate for all workers retiring at age 65 in 1999: explanation
213
1
A-4 Annual amount of savings needed to keep Social Security solvent for 75 years
214
1
A-5 Calculation of transferred spousal/survivor benefits
215
2
A-6 The bottom line in the Gustman-Steinmeier study
217
1
A-7 Calculation of extra benefits going to those with non-SS retirement incomes greater than 70% of retirees
218
2
A-8 The Clinton double tax: explanation
220
1
A-9 Age-adjusted disability rates: explanation of methods and sources
221
1
A-10 SSI Age and population-adjusted disability rates: explanation of methods and sources
222
1
A-11 Estimation of potential disability savings: explanation
223
1
A-12 Failure to report a change in earnings. Is it a crime?
224
1
A-13 Is Bush getting all of the facts?
225
1
A-14 Estimation of system savings due to use of PRAs
226
1
A-15 Estimation of Ohio PERS benefits versus Social Security benefits
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5
The rationale behind the adjustments
227
2
Details of the methods used
229
2
A-16 Estimation of required income tax increase, to eliminate long-germ unfunded liability over a 100-year period
231
4
APPENDIX B: WHAT YOU CAN DO
235
4
Get involved
235
1
Ask questions regarding the retirement program
235
2
Ask questions regarding the disability programs
237
1
Contact aids
238
1
INDEX
239